TIMES International
Russian President Vladimir Putin hosted leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Kazan on Wednesday for a two-day summit aimed at strengthening business, trade and broader strategic ties between Moscow and the regional bloc, which includes Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, East Timor and Vietnam, according to a report from the Associated Press.
According to Kremlin adviser Yuri Ushakov, the meeting marks the 35th anniversary of Russia-ASEAN relations and will focus on expanding what Moscow describes as a “strategic partnership”, alongside discussions on global and regional developments and efforts to deepen economic cooperation.
The summit, held over two days in Kazan on the Volga River, is being seen as a key diplomatic platform for Russia to reinforce ties with Southeast Asia at a time when Moscow is seeking to counter Western isolation and broaden its international partnerships.
Ushakov said participating countries are expected to underline support for “forming a just and democratic multipolar world order based on the principles of international law and the United Nations Charter,” while praising what he called a “fruitful, equal and constructive dialogue” between Russia and ASEAN.
In a message to a business forum on the sidelines, Putin said he was confident the gathering would “create new opportunities for expanding mutually beneficial trade, investment, and industrial cooperation, while also strengthening direct dialogue between our business communities.”
He added that Russia remained ready to continue active joint work with ASEAN members to strengthen strategic partnership in the interests of security, prosperity and development across the Eurasian region.
During the summit, Putin co-chaired discussions with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr, whose country currently holds the rotating ASEAN presidency, and invited him to the next ASEAN summit in Manila.
Putin also held bilateral meetings with Brunei’s Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, as well as talks in Moscow earlier this week with Turkey’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, who met Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
ASEAN’s members have diverse geopolitical alignments, with some leaning towards the United States while others maintain closer ties with China and Russia, reflecting the bloc’s balanced diplomatic posture.
Several ASEAN countries, including the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam, have imported Russian crude oil or expressed interest in doing so after global fuel prices rose following the war in Iran.
Officials said the summit highlights Russia’s efforts to expand its economic and diplomatic reach in Asia amid shifting global alliances and rising competition among major powers.
The regional bloc has maintained relations with Moscow as a ‘dialogue partner’ and has engaged Russian officials in annual top-level meetings, according to Ushakov.
Russia and ASEAN nations “jointly stand for forming a just world order, defend the principles of sovereign equality of states, (of) non-interference into internal affairs,” Putin said at a formal reception for heads of delegations Wednesday evening.
“All our states follow their own models of development and don’t impose their views on anyone. And this is, indeed, our strength,” he said.
“Russia is ready for continuing active joint work with ASEAN member states with the goal of strengthening strategic partnership, in the interests of ensuring security, well-being and prosperity of our countries and peoples, as well as the Eurasian region as a whole.”
Another bilateral engagement on the sidelines involved Turkey’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, who met Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Moscow on Tuesday, where both sides discussed a range of bilateral and regional issues.
